Straight bar knitting machine



Nov. 25, 1952 K. w. WICKARDT STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l KURT W/LL/ W/CK/LQDT Inventor Nov. 25, 1952 K. w. WICKARDT 2,618,946

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 KURT WILL! W/C/(ARDT. Inventor Nov. 25, 1952 K. w. WICKARDT STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 9, 1951 I if 5 1,-

Ku/zT W/LL/ N/CImkDZ'Inmtor Nov. 25, 1952 K. w. WICKARDT 2,618,946

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 K021 W/LL/ Mam/GOT. Inventor Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED PAT EN T F STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING-Machine Application April-9, 1951, Serial N o 219,912 'In-GreatBritain April 12, 1950 .21 (ila iiis- 1 'lfhepresent invention relates'to straight bar knit n machineso-and" is especially ---applicable to strai ht bar knitting machines. vfor the-.-produ tion of f hioned-fabrics assfor example full fash on d ladies stockings.-

nai hilies ofxthis type different mechanisms uc as, .101 example, adjusting; devices-erased rews zw i r" adjusting, the thread carrier :travel and-the movementtofhnarrowing zfingersncontrol drum-1 other. control. mechanisms, have to. e actuat d intermittently is. well known in strai ht barkni tins. machines.

I this specification the term intermittently ctu t d mechanism is used to denoteea mecha sm; wh ch ad usted inposition in a stepby-step manner at regular. roryirregular intervals. The. normal way of intermittently actuating these :Inechanisnis .isby :meaznsof ratchets and pawls in connection withleverscontrolledy'by ams cam. toilowers, .hwdisadvantage'of. pawl and ratchet mechanisms is that during racking, zm v mentsrp rformed. atzhigh speed. the. kinetic energy of th ratohet andthe 'parts oon nected with it, has tobedealt with at the. end; of the racki motion b a brake Mother-suit?- e means This akes a p wl andratchet mechanism: which. is to Work: saieiy; nt hi h speed. rather-co nplieated.

The object .of th -pres nt invention is-to nr vid ik tting ma hines-of thet pe setriorthwit nt rmitten ly operating drivinazme ns Safely actuatin the in ermittently adjusted. mechanisms referred to above.

Accor n t t e pr sen invention (a strai ht. bar knitting ach ne s provided w th .atuleast one'driving device for a lead screw vprettier control device in which a driving member is eng-ageable with a driven member in such a manner thatthe angular velocity of-the driven" member is first increased from zero, or-from "a very low value, to a maximum andthenred-uced again torzero, or to a very 'low' value.

According-to a further feature .ofthe invention a. straight bar knittin machine has a .drive for an intermittently actuated mechanism, drive includes a rotatable .drivenqmemher having a plurality of slots exte din inwardly from. the periphery thereof and being equi-spacedxthehearo d a con tantly rotating driving memher bearing at least one. pinsizidebiv carriedathereon..,

tie- 89.)

of thepresent invention may consist ot a slotted disc r ta-t. is about a iven axis. antle pin or aprofi e lemen r camca able 10th isi noyed nt and out o the circ lar path. oi seidrnin opposite sides of the d s thedisomaye urned in one direction or the other. I

In on form of construction thewslottedi d s is in e f rm of a Ma secross pivoted .bon an axis perpendicular to the-axis of-the m b r, which ay consist :of. a drum having.

transverse slots in its, periphery each containing a slide bearing a radially extendingpinatxor near each end thereof, the position of the Maltese cross being such that the rows of pins may n rm ly p ss o e on ach sid o th M s cross with u eneag ngit. Tw pro ile elements or cams which may be in theforni of p fi ed m tal s r ps. or late are arrangedabove the path of travel of the pins, one on each sideof h ro s as to b individually raisedand lowered into the respective paths-of. the pins. Thus when one cam is lowered it wil-llengage a pinion. one side or a slide t draw t other-pin of that slide into engagementwith.the.,l\(ta1tese cross. may be arranged in the path of. the pins-to with raw eachpin from enga men with the Maltese cross and to restore it tositszoriginalh axial position after it has turned the. Maltese cross through a givenvangle.

Thev pins may be of varying; heighteso that a r ater, or lesser numher of pins mayrbe brought into engagement with the Maltese cross-"by a".

A second cam or a secondnair of 3 greater or lesser movement of a profile element or cam towards the pin carrying drum.

It will be appreciated that in the arrangement described above the Maltese cross may be angularly displaced in one direction or the other by appropriate manipulation of one or other of said profile elements or cams and may be moved to a greater or lesser extent according to the extent of the movement of the profile element.

In another embodiment the slotted disc is in the form of a Maltese cross and is rotatable about an axis parallel to the-axis of the driving member which may-consist of a disc having one or more radially extending slots each one contain ing a slide bearing a pin extending longitudinally parallel to the axis of the driving member; the position of the Maltese cross being such that a pin normally passes along a circular path on one side of the Maltese cross without engaging it. For this purpose one end of each pin may be caused to travel along an arcuate groove. A second groove may be provided in the region of the Maltese cross to guide the pin so that whilst it is rotated with the driving member it is also displaced radially so as to be brought into ongagement with theMaltese cross. A profile insert or gate may be provided at the junction of the second and circular grooves so that a pin may be guided selectively into the second groove for engagement with the driven member. With the driving member continuously rotated in one directionthe Maltese cross may be driven stepwise preferably in the opposite direction, and selective actuation of the intermittently actuated mechanism in one direction or the other may conveniently be obtained by inserting a reversible gear transmission between the Maltese cross and the intermittently actuated mechanism.

The Maltese cross driving device is in itself not novel as a mechanism, but it has not so far been applied to th actuation of control elements o fya straight bar knitting machine. Moreover, the present invention provides a Maltese cross d riving device which may be selectively engaged at appropriate times to cause displacement of afn-intermittently actuated mechanism in one dirction or the other and to cause displacement of different amplitudes.

'- Thepresent invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawingswhich show by way of example embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing one embodiment of the invention, 1

Fig.2 is a plan view shown in section alon the line IIII of-Fig. 1, I

Fig. 3 is-a plan view shown in section along the lines IIIIII in Figs. 1 and 6.

Fig.4 is a diagrammatic developed view indicating the actual and relative movements of certain parts of the present invention,

Fig-5 is a plan view in the direction of arrow A -in Fig. 1 with certain parts omitted for the sake of clarity,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a second embodiment of the present invention showing additional features of this invention, 7

Fig. '7 is'a diagrammaticview showing the application of the present invention for the operationof certain movements of a straight bar knitting machine,

Fig. 8 is an end elevation showing diagrammatically another embodiment of the present invention, with certain parts removed for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 8 as seen in the direction of arrow B in-Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a detail view to an enlarged scale of part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a drum 2 mounted on a continuously rotating shaft I carries one or more slides 3. The slides 3 are equally spaced over one part of the circumference of drum 2 as indicated by the reference 9:, while the remaining part of its circumference as indicated by the reference y carries no slides. The slides 3 extend parallel to the axis of shaft I and are individually slidably carried in slots at or near the circumference of the drum 2. Each slide 3 carries in a radial direction two pins 4 and 5, all of equal length and spaced ex-' actly alike on all slides. Covers 6 hold slides 3 in their slots in drum 2, allowing them to slide in a direction parallel to the axis of shaft I.

A bracket I carries rotatably a shaft 8, ar-

' ranged with its axis at an angle to shaft I, preferably in such a way that its axis intersects the axis of shaft I more or less at right angles. Shaft 8 supports at its lower end between bracket 7 and drum 2 a slotted disc 9 and above bracket I and contacting its upper face, a locating disc I 0, both parts being attached'to'shaft 8 in a way to impede any axial movement of shaft-B.

In holes bored substantially parallel to the centre line of shaft 8 in bracket 7 are slidably supported four pins I3, i4, I5 and I6, two of which for example I3 and I5, hold at their lower ends a movable profile element or curve I I, while the remaining two, I4 and I6, hold at their lower ends another movable profile cam'or curve I2. Attached to bracket I and located underneath curves II, I2, but above slotted disc 9, is a fixed profile element or curve 20. Extensions I1 and I8 on the upper ends of pins I3 and I4 respec tively engag the forked ends of levers 26 and 21, which are rotatably supported on a shaft 25 in bracket I. The upper ends of levers 26 and 2'! are connected by'means of connecting rods I9 and 20 respectively to any of the well known control mechanisms for straight bar knitting machines thereby enabling the curves II, I2 to be individually and separately brought from their inoperative position as indicated in full-line into their operative position Ila, I2a as indicated by chain-dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Supported from bracket 1 and free to oscillate around a shaft 28 is a locating lever 29, a wedgeshaped extension of which can, under the influence of a tension-spring or other suitable means I21, be brought into contact with V-shaped grooves on locating disc I0. This locating disc I0, and locating lever 29 serve to make sure that slotted disc 9 is held in a position to clear pins 4' and 5 during the normal performance of the knitting machine during which no racking movement takes place. In this position of the locating disc I0, slots 23 and 24 in slotted disc 9 are so orientated as to allow pins 4 and 5 to engage slotted disc 9 at the beginning of any racking movement without causing undue shocks.

The paths of movement of pins 4 and 5 both in space and in relation to slotted disc 9 are more particularly indicated in Fig. 4. In the normal knitting operation, during which no racking movement occurs pins 4 and 5 follow circular paths as indicated by full-lines 30 and 3| respectively. During this operation movable pro.- file elements or curves II and I2 are held in their nonerativenos t on and pin 4 an 5 c ea th ut e ge ,f,.slo ed disc 131; 'ng part of the revolution of shaft I while tba t of um 2 indicate b h r fe 1/ passes underneath slotted disc 9, movable curve I] may be brought into its operative position I la under the influencev of lever 26 and connecting rod- I9, while movable curve I2 remains in its inoperative position. During the further rotation of shaft I and drum 2;, pin 4 or pins 4, engage movable curve I I and are caused to follow a path as indicated by chain-dotted line 32 in Fig. 4. Pins 5 correspondingly follow the path indicated by chain-dotted line 33 in Fig. 4 engaging slot 23 in slotted disc 9 without undue shock, turning slotted disc 9 for one-quarter of a revolution for-each of pins 5 engaging slotted disc 9, and leaving slot 23 in a more or less radial direction. It is obvious that the, movement of pins 4 and 5 will cause slotted disc 9 and shaft 8 to perform one-quarter of a revolution in the direction of chain-potted arrow .35 in Fig. xi for each of the pa rs f 4 and 5 de bly uppo ted in drum .2.-

In order to achieve a rotation of slotted disc 9 andshaft 8 in the opposite direction as indicated by dotted arrow 31 in Fig. 4, movable curve II is held in its inoperative position while movable cu 2 s o ht i ts er tiv pos tion 2a u der t e in uence or lever 21 n connecting rod 20. In this position of the movable curves II and I2, pin 5 contacts curve I2 causing pins 4 and .5 .to follow apath as indicated by dotted lines .34 and 35 respectively. Pin 4 or pinsA engage slot 24 in slotted disc 9 causing slotted .disc, 9 to perform oneequarter of a revolution for each of pins 4 that are brought into engagernent with slots 24. Pins -4 leave slot 24 in slotted disc 9 at the end of each quarter of a revolution in a more or less radial direction along the centre line of slot 24.

It is essential that pins 4 and 5 be well guided without much clearance between the protruding parts of movable curves II and I2 and reset parts 2| and 22 of fixed curve 29 in order to achieve a substantially shock-free engagement and disengagement of pins 4 and 5 with slots 24 and 23 respectively in slotted disc 9 and in order to prevent any over-racking of slotted disc 9 and shaft 8 even at very high speeds.

An additional feature of the present invention is indicated in 6, the general arrangement being the same as described above. Movable profile elements or curves 39 can each be brought into three different positions which are: their inoperative position 39a, their first operative position 39, and their second operative position 3%. Drum 2 on shaft I carries on its circumference over that part indicated by the reference character u'in Fig. 6, pairs of pins 49, 4| each of a length enabling them to engage movable curves 39 intheir first and second operative position as indicated in full-line in Fig. 6. Another part of drum-2 indicated by the reference character 1; in Fig. 6 carries pairs of pins 42, 43 which are shorter than pins49, 4| by an amount indicated at 44 in Fig. 6 causing them to en a e movable curves 39 in their second operative position only as indicated by chain-dotted lines 392) in Fig. 6. This feature of the present invention makes it possible to achieve two different racking movements in each direction.

More than two amounts of racking in each direction can be achieved easily by providing drum 2 with-three or more different lengths of pins and disc 82 on which are mounted,oneoranlu elity of dia y slideabile sl es 83 equallysnac d or r p f s c r umfere Each of theaslides has attached to ita projection-such as .arpin .89 ex endin fr m on side th eof-in a. direction substantially parallel to the. axis of shaft BI. Friction means 85. or a y other. suitab e stop: mechanism restrains unintended movement of slides 8.3 in a radial direction.

Supborted .from the main frameof the knitting machine is a guide-plate 8.6 in which are formed a more or less V-shaped groove 88, 89, .anentry part 81 and a circular-part 99. Aswinging plate or gate 9|, attached to a shaft92. issupported in guides-plate 8.6 and is free to oscillate round the axis of shaft 92. A groove machined into the swinging plate or gate 9I is arranged in thepath of pins 94, in such away as either in one. posi-. tion to close the entrance to groovefifi, or, in another position 9m to cause pins .84. to. enter groove 88,

A slotted disc. 91 is fixed to a shaft 915 rotatably supported in guide-plate 86 in such a :manner that two of four slots 98 is slotted disc 91 co-v incide with grooves 98 and 89 in guide-platexiifi. Concave parts .99 of slotted disc 9'! are .shapedwto contact and en age a stop-plate I99, attached .to disc 82 behind the slide ,83, or behind the last:..of the slides 93, in the direction of rotation of disc 82 and shaft 9|. Fixed to shaft 96 on theop: posite side of guide-plate is a bevel gear H5 engaging two bevel gears H6 and II! rotatably supported on a shaft II9, which is freely carried in extensions of guide-plate 96 insuch a manner that its axis intersects the axis of shaft 95.

Slidably keyed to shaft I I9 is a clutch member H8 adapted for engaging clutch teeth formed in the hubs of bevel-gears H6 and II? and normally held in engagement with bevel-gear H9 by bell-crank lever I29 under the influence of compression spring I23. A control drum I24 fixed to a shaft I26 rotatably supported in the main frame of the knitting machine is arranged opposite. lever I29 in such a manner that a cam or cams I2? attached to drum I24 can engage lever I29 in order to disengage'clutch H9 from bevel gear I I6 and to engage it with bevel gear II].

On the opposite side of guide-plate 86, a roller arm 93, is attached to shaft 92 which supports at one end the swinging plate or gate 9i. Arm 93 carries a cam follower 94 on a pin 95, free to rotate and free to slide along its axis. A guide fork I95 supported on a shaft I96, in bearings I09, holds cam-follower 94 in its inoperative position under the influence of a compression spring I2 I. A collar I98 resting against a bearing or one v of the bearings I99, restricts the movement of cam-follower 94 to the left. v A collar I91 fixed to shaft I96 and resting against one end of a bell-crank lever I I0 rotatably supported from the main frame of the knitting machine on ashaft III moves shaft I06 to the right against'the influence of compression spring I2I if bell-crank lever III] is contacted by one of cam studs H3, H4 on control chain I I2. Cam stud II3 brings cam follower 94 into contact with a cam I93, at,- tached to shaft 8|, while cam I I4, being slightly 94 to contact cam I04.

During the normal performance of a straight-- bar knitting machine during which shaft H9 is to be kept stationary, cam follower 94 is in its inoperative position as indicated in Fig; 9. Swingingplate or gate 9| closes the entrance to groove 88 so as to cause all pins 84 to follow a circular path as indicated by chain-dotted line If]! in Fig. 8. Control chain H2 is racked by any conventional means wellknown in the design of straight-bar knitting machines.

When movement of the control chain causes cam stud I I3 to contact bell-crank lever I I0, camfollower 94 is brought into contact with cam I53 which is shaped in such a manner as tocause swinging plate or gate 9I' to be brought into its operative position 9m to cause one or a predetermined number of pins 84 to enter into the groove 88 and follow a path as indicated by dotted line I02 in Fig. 10, 'so as to drive slotted disc 97 through one-quarter of a revolution in the direction of arrow D for each pin 84 that is brought into groove 88.

Cam stud I I4 on control chain II 2 is higher than cam stud I I3 in order to bring cam-follower 94 into contact with cam I54. Cam I54 is shaped in such a manner as to cause a predetermined number or all of the pins 84 to enter groove 86 and to turn slotted disc 91 through an angle other than that caused by cam II3' contacting lever IIIJ.

Each rotation of slotted disc 97 in the direction of arrow D in Fig. causes a rotation of shaft H9 through a corresponding angle in the direction of arrow E in Fig. 10.

In order to rotate shaft H9 in a direction opposite to arrow E in Fig. 10, cam- I2? is brought into contact with bell-crank lever I25 thereby I.

causing clutch member I I8 to be disengaged from bevel gear I I6 and to be engaged to bevel gear 1. Control drum I24 is racked at predetermined intervals by any of the conventional racking mechanisms well known in the design of straight bar knitting machines.

One of many applications of the present invention to a straight bar knitting machine will now be described with reference to Fig. 7 which shOWS by Way of example the inclusion of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A constantly rotating shaft which may preferably but not necessarily be the main cam shaft of the machine is rotatably supported in bearings 49 in the main frame of the knitting machine and is rotated by an electric motor or other prime mover 48 by means of a gear transmission 45 and 41. One or more shafts 52 are rotatably supported in bearings on the main frame of the knitting machine and connected to shaft 45 by means of bevel gears 55 and 5| which cause shafts 52 to take part in any rotary movement of shaft 45. Each of shafts 52 carries one or more drums 53 each of which has slideably supported parallel to the axis of shafts 52 one or more slides 54 carrying pairs of pins 55. A bracket 59 supported from the main frame of the knitting machine above each and every drum 53, carries rotatably a shaft 57 substantially at right angles to shaft 52 so that the centre lines of the shafts 52 and 51 intersect. A slotted disc 55, a locating disc 58 and a bevel gear I3 are fixed on shaft 51 to rotate therewith. The upper end of shaft 57 is guided by a bearing I2 supported from the main frame of the knitting machine. 'A lead screw 14 is supported in bearings I5 and 16 and fixedly carries at its end a bevel gear engaging bevel g'ear'l3on'shaft The threaded part of lead screw 14 carries ti. spindle nut II which might, for example, be arranged to limit the stroke of thread carrier rods 18 carrying thread carriers I9.

Pivotally supported on bracket 59 is a locating lever 65 engaging locating disc 58 to hold shaft 51 and slotted disc 56 in their normal position ready to be engaged by pins 55 in drum 53.

Equally supported on bracket 59 in a way as described above, is a fixed curve '62 and a pair of movable curves 5| which'are normally held-in their inoperative position as indicated in Fig. 7, and which can be brought into their lower or operative position or positions each under the infiuence of one of a, pair of bell-crank levers 63.

These bell-crank levers are individually connected. by connecting links 64 to levers 55 rotatably sup. ported on a shaft 56 in the frame of the knitting machine. A control drum 61 can be racked by a cam ii attached to shaft 45 by means .of a cam follower III, suitable connecting means. and: a

racking mechanism 69. Control cam studs 68 are arranged on control drum 6'! in suitable placesin tracks underneath each lever 65 so as to cause the corresponding movable curve 6| to be selectively brought into its operative position and thereby resulting in rotation of shaft 51 and lead screw I4 through a pre-selected amount in a predetermined and desired direction during rotation of shaft '45 and drum 53.

The application of the present invention is, however, not restricted to the racking of the lead screw controlling the stroke of the threadcarrier rods but it may equally well be applied to the racking of the lead screw controlling the "splicing stops, the racking of the lead screw controlling the position of the narrowing points, the racking of any control shafts or control drums, and for any other intermittently operated movement in a straight bar knitting machine.

I claim:

1. In a straight bar knitting machine embodying at least one adjustable control such as a lead screw or narrowing finger control, a driving means for said control device including a rotatable driven member having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and equispaced therearound, a constantly rotating driving member bearing at least one projection such as a pin slideable thereon and means for slideably displacing at least one such projection from a normal position in which during the rotation of the driving member it will not engage the driven member into a position thereon at which it will engage a slot of the driven member and means for subsequently restoring said projection to its normal position.

2. In a knitting machine according to claim 1 a driven member having four equally spaced slots.

3. In a knitting machine according to claim 1 a driven member having slots therein extending radially in relation to the axis of rotation of the driven member.

4. In a knitting machine according to claim 1, a driven member which is rotatable about an axis other than the axis of rotation of the driving member.

5. In a knitting machine according to claim 1, a driven member rotatable about an axis which intersects the axis of the driving member at right as a lead for said control device including a rotatable driven member having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and equispaced therearound, a driving member constantly rotating about an axis substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the driven member, at least one projection, such as a pin, extending substantially radially outwardly from said driving member and slideably mounted thereon to permit slideable displacement thereof in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the driving member and means for controllably sliding said projection from a normal position in which during the rotation of the driving member it will not engage the driven member into a position thereon at which it will engage a slot on the driven member and means for substantially restoring said projection to its normal position.

7. In a straight bar knitting machine embodying at least one adjustable control such as a lead screw or narrowing finger control, a driving means for said control device including a rotatable driven member having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and equi-spaced therearound, a driving member constantly rotating about an axis substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the driven member, at least one projection, such as a pin, extending substantially radially outwardly from said driving member and slideably mounted thereon to permit slideable displacement thereof in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the driving member, a displaceable profile means for slideably displacing at least one such projection from a normal position in which during the rotation of the driving member it will not engage the driven member into a position thereon at which it will engage a slot on the driven member, and fixed profile means for subsequently restoring said projection to its normal position.

8. In a knitting machine according to claim '7, at least one profile element or cam movable into and out of a circular path of said projection and when in such circular path to cause said axial displacement of said projection.

9. In a knitting machine according to claim 7 a stationary profile element or cam lying adjacent the normal circular path of said projection and adapted to restore said projection to its normal position after it has been displaced into a position at which it will engage the driven member.

10. In a knitting machine according to claim '7 a plurality of projections such as pins slideably mounted on said driving member and cam means controlling the movement of said profile element for the selective displacement of one or more of said projections.

11. In a knitting machine according to claim 10 in which at least certain of said projections are of differing height so that a selected number thereof may be caused to move into engagement with the driven member by movement of said profile element by a predetermined extent into the path of travel of said projections.

12. In a knitting machine according to claim '7, a driving member bearing two rows of projections normally adapted to pass one row on either side of the driven member and two sets of profile elements associated respectively with said rows of projections and adapted to be slideably displaced into the paths of said projections in order to bring about their engagement with the slotted 10 driven member to cause rotation thereof in one direction or the other.

13. In a straight bar knitting machine according to claim 1, resilient detent means for holding said driven member stationary after each adjustment thereof.

14. In a straight bar knitting machine according to claim '7, resilient detent means for holding said driven member stationary after each adjustment thereof.

15. In a straight bar knitting machine embodying at least one adjustable control such as a lead screw or narrowing finger control; a driving means for said control device including a rotatable driven member'having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, and equi-spaced therearound, a driving member constantly rotating about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said driven member, at least one projection such as a pin borne by said driving member and slideable thereon in a substantially radial direction, guide means adjacent to said driven member defining alternative paths of travel for said projection one of which paths causes the projection not to engage the driven member and the other of which causes the projection to be brought into engagement with a slot of the driven member and subsequently to be withdrawn from said slot, and a gate for directing the projection on to one or other of said paths.

16. In a knitting machine according to claim 15, a guide means for said projection having two merging grooves formed therein, one of said grooves being of arcuate form and the other of said grooves diverging outwardly from said first mentioned groove and subsequently returning thereto.

17. In a knitting machine according to claim 15, a reversible transmission gear between the driven member and the control device to permit actuation of the control device in either direction.

18. In a knitting machine according to claim 15, a plurality of projections on said driving member, a pattern chain, and a link and lever mechanism operated by the pattern chain for controlling said gate to determine the number of projections to be moved into engagement with the driven member and thus to determine the extent of movement of the driven member.

19. In a knitting machine according to claim 18, a reversible transmission gear between the driven member and the control device to permit 1actuation of the control device in either direcion.

20. In a straight bar knitting machine embodying at least one adjustable control such as a lead. screw or narrowing finger control, a driving means for said control device including a rotatable driven member having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, and equi-spaced therearound, a driving member constantly rotating about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said driven member, at least one projection such as a pin borne by said driving member, extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis thereof, and slideable thereon in a substantially radial direction, guide means adjacent to said driven member defining alternative paths of travel for said projection one of which paths causes the projection not to engage the driven member and the other of which causes the projection to be brought into engagement with a slot of the driven member and subsequently to be withdrawn from said slot, and a gate for directing the projection on to one or other of said paths.

21. In a straight bar knitting machine embodying at least one adjustable control such as a lead screw or narrowing finger control, a driving means for said control device including a rotatable driven member having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and equi-spaced therearound, a constantly rotating driving member bearing at least one projection such as a pin slideable thereon in a substantially radial direction in relation to the axis of rotation of the driving member and means for slideably displacing at least one such projection 12 from a normal position in which during the rotation of the driving member it will not engage the driven member into a position thereon at which it will engage a slot of the driven member and means for subsequently restoring said projection to its normal position.

KURT WILLI WICKARDT.

Name Date Lieberknecht Dec. 19, 1939 Number 

